NEW and expectant mothers in Winchester may soon be able to benefit from maternity services in the community.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, is in talks to open a community midwifery hub in the city.

Currently Winchester does not have this kind of facility, but usually it would allow mothers to access support without needing to visit the main hospital site.

Fay Corder, associate director for maternity at the trust, said: “A community midwifery hub is a one stop shop providing midwifery services in the community.

“Services that could be provided include antenatal and postnatal appointments, feeding support, birthing classes, infant checks such as hearing screening and health visitor clinics. Other services including help for women who would like to stop smoking, physiotherapy and sexual health could also be provided in a hub.

“There is not currently a hub in Winchester due to the lack of a suitable venue. A possible location has now been identified and we are working to provide maternity services in a central hub as soon as possible.”

The exact location of the hub is not yet known.

The trust has also said that it is looking to open hubs in Eastleigh, Tadley and Newbury.

It comes as senior staff at Winchester hospital have expressed fears to the Chronicle about the possible closure of A&E and consultant-led maternity at the Romsey Road site as plans for a new hospital progress.

But the trust has said that no decisions have yet been made and it continues to engage with the public.

Speaking last month, the trust’s clinical director of women’s health Avideah Nejad said: “We are proud of the services we offer to women and families, but we believe there may be an opportunity to do better if we could reconfigure the way services are managed.”